Healing

[Nonek]

Will we have the dreaded regenerating health bar that makes combat fairly irrelevant as soon as it's ended, or will we need bandages, medical attention and bedrest to heal ourselves if spells are not available.

 

Also in a related matter, will we be saddled with the old healing potion options or will we get something more logical than uncorking and necking a flask mid melee? Such as minor healing magics etched into your skin beforehand that can be used up with a mere thought or small magic sign, some manner of vampiric thirst, abilities that allow us to catch a second wind mid combat (if our endurance/constitution allows it.)

[trulez]

Please, no healing potions, period.

[Delterius]

In my opinion, it is preferable if the pains of combat do not disappear as easily as it does in, say, Dragon Age. When you must resort to healing kits or Magic for healing, things may be more interesting. But only if said resources are limited. If you're swimming in gold to buy items, or if you can buy and carry items indefinitely, of if Magic is something easily acessible (if, say, the magic system is a mana bar that can be or is easily restored) then there's no point to not restoring hitpoints as soon as battle ends.

[Lohi]

Definitely not instant quaffing of heal potions while still in combat. Everything should take some time to work. Wounds should not magically close because of a potion.

 

I also never liked the idea that you could just sleep overnight and be all better. Sure you get most of your fatique restored and can swing a sword again, but wounds should not vanish this way.

 

On the other hand healing options should not be so limited that you feel you have to rest for days before going out again. A magical remedy could heal a minor wound in a few hours, heal a broken leg (after being set) overnight, not long enough to put you out of commision. More serious wounds would require more serious magic.

[Delterius]

Definitely not instant quaffing of heal potions while still in combat. Everything should take some time to work. Wounds should not magically close because of a potion.

 

I also never liked the idea that you could just sleep overnight and be all better. Sure you get most of your fatique restored and can swing a sword again, but wounds should not vanish this way.

 

On the other hand healing options should not be so limited that you feel you have to rest for days before going out again. A magical remedy could heal a minor wound in a few hours, heal a broken leg (after being set) overnight, not long enough to put you out of commision. More serious wounds would require more serious magic.

 

Problem with discussing 'realism' and healing is how often combat should happen in a game. If healing isn't easily acessible, even to Adventurers

Edited September 15, 2012 by Delterius

[oldmanpaco]

Potions and spells. Regen sucks.

 

edit: And rest of course.

Edited September 15, 2012 by oldmanpaco

[Nonek]

I'd be fine with less but more gruelling combat, the busywork of repetitive slaughtering is one of the curses of modern gaming in my opinion. If draconian healing options and lingering wounds necessitate that, i'm all in favour of it.

[Humanoid]

Not just in terms of healing, but in general, I'd like to see the game step away from the system that makes the player's party more or less a fully independent and self sufficient nation. In terms of healing, this would mean that some conditions may not be curable at all without external help from a specialist. More broadly, it means I'm also against having a comprehensive crafting and repair system, instead limiting player crafting to makeshift gear at best. Resting in proper accommodation would be meaningful, and scavenging materials should be a very limited exercise. But back on topic, it means I want to see fairly minor healing being able to be done in combat, some limited healing - enough to carry on but not back to tip-top shape - outside of it, and needing help to get back to full health after serious injury.

 

 

One thing I'm less sure of, although interesting on the surface of it, is to encourage some party shuffling because of an enforced layoff due to said medical aid. Severely injured party members would need to undergo some meaningful time off for recuperation at a hospital, and you may opt to switch them out while they do so. Think Jag2 for this, though if it's the player character down, I suppose it'd be just some timeskip forward.

[Nonek]

Perhaps the in combat small healing could be necromantic, the capturing of the fleeting life essences of dying foemen healing your wounds. Grisly and something some players would not want to use.

[DAWUSS]

Could this also include losing companions due to non-plot-related deaths when their HP reaches 0? It would put enemies a bit more on par with allies.

[Delterius]

Not just in terms of healing, but in general, I'd like to see the game step away from the system that makes the player's party more or less a fully independent and self sufficient nation. In terms of healing, this would mean that some conditions may not be curable at all without external help from a specialist.

 

This notion should apply both to injuries but also diseases. If there's one thing the much loved sewer levels need is some consequence for going down there and kill giant rodents and talking, swirling, giant, moving goos the color of poison. And then you must see the town medic for help.

 

Aso, diseases should be a meaningful mechanic that approach your character(s) in a scary and mysterious way. You shouldn't just read 'diseased' of the character sheet, you should be prompted from time to time about your worsening condition.

 

Mind you, there shouldn't be anything prohibiting the player from making his character a specialist. Or asking one to join the party. Especially if by 'medical specialist' the setting means 'spellcaster'.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Delterius

[Mrrally]

Although adding depth and even semi-realism to any healing system may sound good, it is going to go against the basics of this type of RPG. Combat is too frequent to have to lay any party members off or to have to keep going back to town to heal major wounds.

 

I agree with abandoning regen and only having magic partially heal, but quaffing potions is all part of the RPG experience to me, it must remain in some form!

[Humanoid]

A specialist still needs their tools, helpers, and copious amounts of time, so in practical terms it's still a matter of "heading back to town" - though I'd certainly be supportive of a medical skill which would determine how serious an injury can still be dealt with "in the field."

 

 

 

To clarify the concerns though - yes, this would be mind-numbingly tedious to do if combat was both frequent enough and damage unavoidable enough to necessitate repetitive ferrying of the wounded. I'm thinking more along the level of Fallout's crippled limbs, or maybe even D&D's 0hp critical state conditions which would have this kind of treatment. Certainly a simple flesh wound from dispatching a couple of highwaymen should be fully recoverable after the fact, on the spot.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Humanoid

[Delterius]

A specialist still needs their tools, helpers, and copious amounts of time, so in practical terms it's still a matter of "heading back to town" - though I'd certainly be supportive of a medical skill which would determine how serious an injury can still be dealt with "in the field."

 

I agree, but a distinction made between 'light' and 'critical' injuries/diseases is only as valid as how traumatic the corresponding treatments are. Given that the setting is Fantasy with relatively common magic, Healing most likely translates to Alchemy, Nursing and Spellcasting - and I don't think its such a hassle to bring potions/bandages/spells/alchemical ingredients to the field.

 

A fourth component for critical injuries, resting in a non-hostile environment, and that should require a trip to the Town Centre. And that would imply healing isn't a easy process even with magic involved, a idea that I enjoy but might not be compatible with the setting.

[Enoch]

The whole thing depends of the question of "What is a Hit Point?"

 

If Hit Points represent an actual percentage of physical damage, then most of the comments here make some sense. But there also should be almost no opportunities to increase one's Hit Points over the course of the game-- people just don't get that much more resilient simply by punching a lot of goblins and rescuing a lot of kittens.

 

If Hit Points instead represent some kind of abstract "Hero Mojo," however, any manner of regeneration systems can then be employed. Potions may not make the most sense, but some other "gamey" device can be employed to make the use of consumables and magical abilities (whether the regeneration they grant is immediate or gradual) in the midst of combat into an interesting tactical decision.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Enoch

[Rubarack]

I know you guys have trouble suspending your sense of disbelief but there's a very important factor here. No injury should be more troublesome than reloading the save before the battle started. If you make combat challenging and resources limited then save scumming becomes a necessary strategy.

 

Even beyond that these designs are very good at making injuries inconvenient. I don't want to have to fret about every bandage or arrow in a party. I want to focus on the adventure, exploring, characters and the strategy of combat. Not having to hobble back to town at quarter speed so I can haggle with the town physician about how much to pay for treating an injury and whether he can get supplies then having to wait an ingame week and a real life hour before trekking back and realising the system would be identical if I just regenerated to full life after the battle and just go a couple gold less in rewards.

 

Some things can be safely abstracted to keep the story flowing. Make HP stand for "Heroic Power" and let me regen to full after each battle.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I like the idea of Dark Souls you can use potions, but when you are, you are exposed to potentially more damage and healing spells are limited between rests.

[Majek]

I know you guys have trouble suspending your sense of disbelief but there's a very important factor here. No injury should be more troublesome than reloading the save before the battle started. If you make combat challenging and resources limited then save scumming becomes a necessary strategy.

 

Even beyond that these designs are very good at making injuries inconvenient. I don't want to have to fret about every bandage or arrow in a party. I want to focus on the adventure, exploring, characters and the strategy of combat. Not having to hobble back to town at quarter speed so I can haggle with the town physician about how much to pay for treating an injury and whether he can get supplies then having to wait an ingame week and a real life hour before trekking back and realising the system would be identical if I just regenerated to full life after the battle and just go a couple gold less in rewards.

 

Some things can be safely abstracted to keep the story flowing. Make HP stand for "Heroic Power" and let me regen to full after each battle.

So Concussions, crippled limbs,... lower max "Heroic power" ?

[LordCrash]

I must say that I liked the potions system used in Witcher 2 which was adopted from the books. The player(s) can only drink a limited number of potions BEFORE any (hard) fight or any task. Many people used to "modern" RPGs criticized that system because they didn't get the realistic approach behind it (even in a fantasy setting there are some ordinary phyiscal realities which players should be stick to normally): During the fight the players are not able to drink potions because it's hardly realistic to drink a potion with sword and shield in your hand and five enemies striking at you.

 

So in my opinion during fights healing should only be possible by mental and/or magical abilities (or item bonuses on regeneration). With mental abilities I mean some system in connection with the game mechanics, here it would be cool if it would be some kind of healing/regeneration system connected with the souls of PE. I could think of a system in which players gain health by killing enemies because they take over some power of the souls of the fallen enemies (a little bit like in the Highlander series)

[Aedelric]

Bandages, herbalism salves and sending companions home to rest. Injuries are fine, but not extreme ones that could not heal, like removing eyes or limbs.

 

I would like to see a game that does not use potions and magical healing spells. Surprised anyone ever dies in those kinds of games.

 

Edit - Definitely no regeneration!

Edited September 24, 2012 by Aedelric

[KenThomas]

I'd be fine with less but more gruelling combat, the busywork of repetitive slaughtering is one of the curses of modern gaming in my opinion. If draconian healing options and lingering wounds necessitate that, i'm all in favour of it.

 

Hell yes dude. Whatever game mechanics allow us to avoid the traps of "action rpg"s I am in favor of. I do not see a purpose to playing a game like Diablo 3 or Kingdoms of Amalur.

[Piccolo]

No health regen, for the love of god. And if there's going to be health potions, make them rare.

 

Bandages would be a more suitable 'common' healing item - but they should only stop blood loss / further loss of health. They shouldn't restore health in any way.

 

Make this quite a hardcore experience please. It should be very possible for my character to die in battle.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Piccolo

[TCJ]

I don't mind potions so much, but I think it would be nice if they couldn't be used in combat the way they are in so many RPGs. Make them usable after combat or only if the character can step back and not be attacked... and then healing probably shouldn't be instant. As far as the regenerating health bar, please, no! If there's a REASON for it (magic, etc.) that's just a temporary effect, fine, but just as the default game system? Incredibly annoying.

[ogrezilla]

I hope the game feels like a game and not an adventure simulator. I think the old IE games did it just fine.

[ravenshrike]

Health regen is fine if it's slow. Like 15 minutes to recover half your health bar slow. So the only time you would ever use it to heal yourself would be if you were tapped out on other healing options or it would occur between world map changes.